Haven
by Asamsaktha
Summary: Post Out of Gas, pre BDM. JayneRiver, but not Rayne! Jayne and River discuss Ariel, more or less. Just a lil' fluff floating around in my head. Comments always welcome.


**Haven**

Post Out of Gas, pre BDM. Jayne/River-centric, but not like that. I wanted to write "the one where Jayne says sorry", more or less.

-

Fiddle music drifted like the smoke from the bonfire, curling around the gathered people like a friendly embrace. Warm orange glow lit their faces, and the snap and crack of the firewood punctuated their laughter. Food, real home-cooked food, hung cooking in heavy iron pots and pans around the fire, its aroma thick in the air.

Captain Malcom Reynolds looked around the bonfire at the gathered townsfolk and saw something that he hadn't seen much of, of late—smiles. He was surrounded by smiling people. It'd been a long time since he seen that many happy faces. Mal sighed and took a sip of the local hootch, and leaned back to enjoy the moment. Times been hard, of late, and his crew had been getting on each other's nerves. Hard not to, cooped up in the ship, running all the time. A short spell dirtside might be just what they need, and trouble wasn't likely to find them on Haven. 'Sides, always good to see the Shepherd. Not much to do but sit and enjoy, he thought to himself.

Zoë and Wash had found the bathhouse and were making good use of it. Kaylee had gone off to fix one of the ore refiners down in the mines, which left Simon was sulking in the med bay with his needles and research. River talked her way out of the ship by promising to stick with Jayne, much to Simon's chagrin. And Jayne's.

"How'm I 'posta git me some trim if I got Crazy taggin' along?" Jayne railed, until Simon pointed out that this mining outpost was Shepherd Book's home. The preacher tried to keep the outpost clean, by Rim world standards. Simon agreed reluctantly to let her leave the ship in Jayne's care.

Mal gazed at his ship, his home, off on the horizon and forgot about finding their next job for a while.

-

Jayne sat on the ground, drinking from a flask; his guitar lying at his feet. His striped shirt was conspicuously clean. "Might be no whores on Haven, but that don't mean I ain't aimin' to please," he informed the doctor, who teased him for cleaning up to go dirtside.

Jayne was busily shooing River away with his left arm while she pulled insistently on his right.

"Yer worse 'n a gorram skeeter, girl! Go 'way. I don't go fer the moonbrained type. An' stop pullin' my arm 'afore you spill me hootch. Maybe Shepherd will dance wit' ya," Jayne whined.

River grimaced, tugging on the mercenary's arm. "Shepherd's a man of words. Jayne is a man of action. Jayne is a man right?" she pleaded.

Jayne groaned. "Now don't you be startin' none a' that 'Jayne's a girl's name' _go se_ again..." he growled, eyes narrowing suspiciously at the slender girl. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Reckon it won't kill you to indulge our River in a dance or two, Jayne. Or are you afraid of a 90 pound girl stepping on your toes?" Shepherd Book grinned and winked conspiratorially at River.

"That '90 pound girl' is a stone cold killer, preacher!" Jayne spluttered, pocketing his flask. " 'Sides, if'n she gets so much as a speck a' dirt on 'er, the doc'll have Cap'n space me."

River laughed. The stone cold killer twirled in place, still holding Jayne's hand, forcing him to stand up and twirl the other way to untangle them. The big man looked uncharacteristically off-balance. River took advantage of his moment of vulnerability, catching his other hand and pulling him into the lively, dancing crowd.

Jayne shot the preacher a resigned look. "Guess she done caught me. Fair's fair." Tossing his hat to Book, a sudden smile softened his steely blue eyes. "May as well enjoy m'self!"

The music swept over them, pulling the pair deeper into the firelight.

Hair streaming behind her, River spun and twirled gracefully. Her lithe form looked as if it had been created just to dance, all long limbs and fluid grace. Jayne danced passing well, surprising for his size. River's eyes were clear, and full of the simple joy of movement. The odd pair looked all the world like nothing more than a man and a young woman dancing.

River and Jayne swung around and around, laughing together easily. As the music came to a frenzied crecendo, they collapsed in a laughing, breathless heap on the edge of the firelight.

Pulling her hair back from her face, River gasped "You dance almost as good as Simon!" She poked Jayne in the chest.

He puffed out his chest. " 'Course I dance good. 'S part of my rakish charm," he said mischeviously, brows lowering. "You ain't so bad yerself." _When you ain't crazy, that is_, he thought to himself.

River closed her eyes. "I can hear you." she frowned.

"Aw, don't be gettin' in my head again, that ain't right," Jayne huffed. _Gorram reader_, he thought. He fidgeted with his boot, trying not to look guilty and failing. He tried his best to not think of Ariel. It was hard not thinking of it, when he tried. Images of Mal trying to space him resurfaced, and he scowled.

Arms wrapped around her drawn up legs, River rested her head on her knees. She turned to Jayne, eyes solemn. "Ariel is over, Jayne." She lowered her eyes and began tracing circles on the sandy ground.

_Tried to feed us to the lions, then helped us escape. He was the only one strong enough_, River thought. _I know why, Jayne. I'm sorry._

Jayne blinked. Clouds darkened his blue eyes. She looked up, eyes steady on him. He opened his mouth and closed it again without a word. _Ain't no way to apologize for tryin' to sell her an' her brother out. Don't matter that I changed my mind. She knows anyway. Ai ya, she can HEAR you, you fool..._

She swept away the lines she'd drawn in the sand. The slow, sad strains of a ballad began; a mournful flute and drum playing. A woman's voice rose above the music.

"We're not done," River said gravely. She stood, taking his hand. Confused, he let her pull him to his feet. He stood stiffly, looking uncomfortable.

River reached up and wound her arms around the mercenary's neck. Standing on her toes, she put her head on his shoulder. She laced her fingers behind his head.

Jayne pulled back, trying unsuccessfully to unlace her fingers. "Hey now, what you doin' girl? Cap'n will skin me if he sees this. An' I don't wanna get no crazy on me."

"You're safe with me."

"Not gorram likely," he sighed. "All right, you wanna dance all slow-like, we can dance. Ain't no harm in that I 'spose," Jayne said hopefully, looking around for the Captain. They'd lost sight of him in the crowd, much to his relief.

"Choose the path." River said.

"Huh?"

"I'm the girl. You have to lead, Jayne."

"Oh. Right, lead." Jayne cleared his throat. He found it unnerving, her using his name like that. "Ain't danced like this in a long time, so I'm apologizin' in advance fer steppin' on yer toes any," Jayne said.

River smiled.

Jayne put his arms around her waist carefully, trying to avoid touching anywhere questionable, and they began to dance. River was sheer beauty in motion. As they danced, Jayne found it hard to not relax and enjoy the music and movement. River followed his lead, eyes closed and content. Much to Jayne's chagrin, he found himself enjoying himself. _It's relaxin' is all. Ain't got much softness in my life; nice to have a touch o' somethin' soft from time to time. I'm just appreciatin' her dancin' ability. 'Sides, she IS a girl. Gorram crazy one at that. _

_An' she needs me_, he found himself thinking.

Her eyes opened. "Jayne." She tilted her head to look up at him as they danced. "A man of honor."

Jayne stumbled a step, and made as if to stop dancing. She kept her eyes on him; her chin resting on his chest.

"Honor? Huh?"

"Ariel. I know you're sorry now. Passengers aren't crew."

"Why you gotta be all psyche-analyzin' at me? Can't we just dance?" Why is she apologizing to ME? "The money was too good, I got stupid. That's all. End of story." He pulled back, trying to avoid her searching eyes. _Then I saw what they done to your brain, an' I couldn't let them do no more of that._

"Your job is to protect. To act as if already dead."

Where you goin' with this, River? We ain't never said this many words to each other, he thought. "Yep. That'd be what the Cap'n hired me for, to protect his crew. Dunno 'bout no 'act as if already dead' though."

River lowered her eyes, and her steps slowed. She dropped her arms, letting go of Jayne. She turned her back to Jayne and looked to the horizon, where Serenity perched. She whispered,

"Only you would risk the millstone."

Jayne made a puzzled sound. Unthinking, he put his hand on his shoulder and turned her toward him. Her eyes stayed on Serenity in the distance. She looked so small, so sad, so wounded that he had to say something, anything. He'd caused this hurt, it was his job to fix it. He took her chin in his large hand, and slowly met her eyes. He looked troubled.

"When I saw what them monsters did to you, I knew I couldn't be givin' you or your brother over to them. Wasn't right. No matter how good the money. Woulda made me a monster, like them. I ain't no monster, he grumbled. Jayne swallowed hard.

River stood before him, arms outstretched as if she were trying to fly. The cool night breeze rippled her hair around her face. Her long skirt fluttered around her bare feet, and she looked ready to soar. He gave her a sideways smile, trying to look gruff.

"You're not right in the head, and you bring a world of trouble down on our heads regular-like. Your brother is an insufferable hwoon da. Can't trust you wit nothin' sharp. Can't think nothin' unseemly 'round you, an' you kick my arse at poker cuz you cheat. You're dangerous, an' you talk like an encyc-lo-pedia. But that ship is my home, girl, and you're part of that ship. I ain't much for no fancy words or nothin'. But I swore to the Cap'n I would protect his crew, and I stand by my word. I ain't gonna sell you an' your brother out. You're safe with me."

He let his hand drop, letting go of her chin. She held his eyes with hers, and he noticed the absolute clarity in them. He'd already said more than he'd wanted. But he had two more words to say.

"River. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, Jayne. I wore the clothes of a sheep, but I'm really a wolf. And the wolf is a danger. But you're safe with me. Everyone is. Serenity is safe with me. I will help protect her."

Jayne looked away, fidgeting with his ear. "I might just hold you to that promise, moonbrain. Reckon we be humped more often n' not; could use your government-issued killer instincts. Hey, you... ain't gonna tell no one about all this dancin' and talkin' now are you?" he said suspiciously.

River's face lit in a brilliant smile, and she laughed. As the music swung into a cheerful tune, she snatched up his hand and pulled him back into the dancing.

"Are you sorry enough for one more dance with me, Jayne Cobb?" she said, twirling in front of him.

Jayne smiled a rare, unguarded smile. "Reckon I owe you one, moonbrain."

-

From his vantage point, Mal watched the girl and his hired gun dancing merrily. He'd lost sight of them in the crowd for a bit, but it was good to see they were up to no trouble. _Never did think to see the day those two actin' all friendly, he thought. Man's got enough sense to stay on her good side, wherever that be today. Maybe she be good for our mercenary._ River caught his eye, and he saw the happiness and lucidity in her smile. He smiled back at her and gestured to the ship. _I'm going aboard_, he mouthed across the crowd to her. She spun and waved to him as Jayne twirled her away from his sight.

_For all the trouble this girl is worth, we're doing the right thing by her and her brother. I'm sure of it. She weighs like a millstone, but she ain't gonna sink with my crew around her. I'll give her safe haven aboard Serenity._

Mal turned back to his ship and smiled as he planned how to tell the doctor that his sister was still dirtside, dancing the night away with Jayne.


End file.
